Schools offer pizzas to students 'who speak foreign language'

The Havant Federation of Schools in Hampshire came up with the idea to get students to chat in French or Spanish, something teenagers often find embarrassing and difficult, the 'Sunday Express' reported.

Phillippa Joyner, head of languages at The Hayling College, said: "We were trying to make the language real for the pupils. Rather than just teaching the grammar, we also helped make them more independent by giving them a series of phrases which they can use.

"We encourage them to ask questions in the language they are being taught and once they got into the swing of it, they are constantly asking for extra words in Spanish, French. It is amazing how quickly their confidence soared after they had a few phrases under their belts.

"We told them at the start of the year that they would be rewarded with a treat if they really tried speaking in their modern foreign languages. This term we will find other rewards for them, perhaps a trip to a theatre."

The four schools involved in the language incentive scheme are Hayling, Warblington, Park Community and Cowplain. The schools share teachers, with pupils taking lessons in several schools.

Emily Richardson, a student, said: "A reward trip is really good for motivating you to speak more Spanish and use the language in class. It is fun, too, and once you get the hang of a few chatty phrases, it is very easy and quick to build the range of what you can say."